Forced-feed lubricator.



PATENTED OCT. 16,- 1906.

- H. DIGKBR.

FORGED FEED LUBRIGATOR.

APPLIOATION TILED MAY 20, 1905.

WITNESSES. iffi V 2/15 HZ'TORNEY THE NORRIS PETERSfiO WASHINGTON, n.'c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-IoE.

HUGO DICKER, OF HALLE-ON-THE-SAALE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM 0F 'DIGKER & WERNEBURG, OF HALLE-ON-THE-SAALE, GERMANY.

' FORCED-FEEDLUBRICATOR...

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 16, 1906.

Applicationfiled May 20, 1905. Serial No, 261,296.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HUeoDIoKER, a subject'of the King of Prussia, German Emperor,

and a resident of Halle-on-the-Saale, Germany, (whose post-office address is No. 24 Landwehrstrasse, Halle-on-the-Saale, Prussia, German Empire,) have invented a new and useful Forced-Feed Lubricator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements upon that class of forced-feed lubricators in which a plun er or a plurality of plungers working in cyiinders are actuated by means 'of'a common threaded spindle combined with two sets of driving mechanism, one for producing the downstroke and the other for producing the upstroke of the plungers.

It has for its main object to so improve this kind of lubricators that they can with ad vantage be used on locomotives. It is well known that the attempts hitherto made to use said class of lubricators on locomotives have failed. The principal cause of that failure is that with the usual construction the working parts of said lubricators are largely invention essentially consists in arranging the driving parts below the cylinders in a closed chamber. By this arrangement the driving parts are perfectly isolated from dust and grit.

The invention further consists in combining said chamber with. an oil-supply, so that it can be filled with oil, preferably with a light oil, whereby the important advantage is obtained that the driving mechanisms are embedded in an oil-bath, whereby friction is reduced as much as possible.

The invention further comprises an improved construction and combination of the driving parts and other features, which will be fully described hereinafter.

one form of carrying out the present inventhrough the lubricator, the lubricant-container for the cylinders being omitted"; and Fig. 2 aplan, the lubricant-container for the cylinders, as also the oil-cup 1 shown in Fig. 1, being omitted.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the apparatus comprises, as .an example, six cylinders a, regularly distributed on a circle the center of which coincides with the vertical axial line of the apparatus. The cylinders are formed as cavities in a casting b. The plungers c, of which there are likewise six, one for each cylinder, are rigidly suspended from a common cross-head c. Rotatably suspended from the central portion of the cross-head c is a threaded splndle (l, which is extended downward through a central hollow 6, formed in the casting b and open at both ends, the lower portion of this hollow being wider than is formed. To the bottom of the casting b is tightly secured, by means of its upper edge f,

a chamber g, the central portion of the bottom of which is provided with a hollow cylindrical extension h for receiving the lower portion of the spindle (1 when the lat ter is moved down. The chamber 9 is in communication, through a pipe 71 and a cook 76, with an oil-cup l. g is a normally closed opening for withdrawing the oil from the oh amber when desired.

Within the chamber 9 adjacent to the bottom of the casting b is arranged a spur-wheel m, with its hub m tightly fitting in the enlarged lower portion of the hollow c. On its inner wall the hub m is provided with a thread m corresponding to the thread on the spindle d, thus constituting a driving-nut for the spindled. Above this threaded portion the hub is provided with an extension m of smaller external diameter, which abuts against the shoulder e of the hollow e. The annular space m left between the hollow e and the said hub extension m is provided with an opening m The purpose of this arrangement will be described later on. The spur-wheel m is in gear with a pinion 12 ,'like wise located in the chamber g. The pinion is secured to the lower portion of a vertical shaft n, which penetrates-the chamber 9 5 through a stufiing-box n and is supported at On the annexed sheetof drawings is shown its lower end in a cylindrical'bearing a provided in the bottom of the chamber. The upper portion of the shaft is supported in a hole provided in a laterally-projecting portion n of the casting b, and it has fixed to its upper end a crank o with handle 0, so that it can be turned by hand. Rigidly fixed to the shaft n is a ratchet-wheel p, and to the said portion 11, of the casting bis pivoted a pawl p, adapted to be engaged with the ratchetwheel' p. When said pawl is thus engaged, the shaft n, and consequently the pinion n, spur-wheel m, and nut m cannot be turned in a certain direction.

the pawl p and pushes the same out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel p the very moment the plungers reach the end of their downward stroke. The purpose of this arrangement will be pointed out later on.

Within the chamber g and below the spur- Wheel-m is arranged a worm-wheel q, with its hub g penetrating and tightly fitting into the lower portion of the hub of the spur-wheel m. The inner wall of the hub g is provided with a key (1 and the spindle d has a longitudinal groove 9 in which said key is received. The worm-wheel g is in gear with a worm 1*, which is likewise located in the chamber 9 and fixed upon the shaft 1" of a ratchet device of well-known construction inclosed in a housing 9, 1 being the lever for actuating said ratchet device. The housing r is supposed to be in communication with or forming a part of the chamber 9, as shown. The ratchet device in this instance consists of a disk r fast on axis of lever T to which disk is pivoted a pawl r engaging a ratchetwheel 1* on worm-shaft 1".

The cylinders to communicate at their top portion through channels provided in the casting b with a container for the lubricant to be supplied to the cylinders, this con tainer not being shown in the drawings. One of these channels is indicated at a in the right-hand cylinder in Fig. 1. Adjacent to their bottoms the cylinders have openings a for the discharge of the lubricant. To prevent leakage past the plungers, the cylinders are provided with stufiing-boxes 0 When the cock is is turned by its handle 7c so as to establish communication between the oil-cup Z and the chamber g, the latter fills with oil, which in penetrating between the contacting surfaces of the parts inclosed in the chamber fills up any intermediary spaces and finally rises into the upper space M, from whence any excess of oil escapes to the outside through the opening m Thus all of the gearing for imparting both up and down movement of the spindle d is contained in a closed chamber located below the lubricator-cylinders and communicating with a source of oil-supply whereby the mechanism in said chamber can be maintained in an oil bath.

Suppose the plungers be in the upper posi- From the cross-head c is rigidly suspended a pm. or pusher p WVlllGll is so arranged that 1t, comes agalnst tion, (shown in Fig. 1,) the pawl 10 engaged into the ratchet-wheel p, and the worm r rotated by actuating the lever 1' The worm 1" drives the worm-wheel g, which, as its key Q2 is in engagement with the groove g of the spindle cl, causes the latter to rotate with it. Since the nut m by the engagement of the pawl p with the ratchet-wheel p is locked from turning in the direction in which the spindleis revolved by the worm-wheel q, the spindle is caused to descend, carrying with it the plungers c, and thereby discharging lubricant from the cylinders a through the openings a and channels or pipes connected therewith toward the parts to be lubricated. The very moment the plungers reach the predetermined end of their downstroke the pusher p in descending with the plungers meets the pawl p and pushes the same out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel 19. At once the nut m is released and free to revolve with the spindle, the result being that the latter ceases to descend, and consequently the further downward movement of the plungers is stopped. This automatic release is of high importance, because if the nut m were left locked the back pressure arising from the plungers being forced against the bottoms of their cylinders would result in a breakage of the driving mechanism or in otherwise doing harm to the apparatus. In order to move the plungers back to their upper position, the worm 'r" is stopped and then the shaft n turned by means of the handle 0 and crank 0 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, whereas the spindle d is prevented from turning. The rotation of shaft n in this direction will, through the gears n m, rotate the nut m in a direction contrary to that in which it revolved with the spindle, while at the same time the spindle by the worm-gear g is locked from rotating. Under these conditions the rotation of the nut in the direction indicated will cause the spindle to rise, carrying with it the plungers, which are thus returned to their original position. Thus the mechanism by which the nut is locked against rotation with the spindle on the down or feed movement of the plungers serves as the means by which the nut is rotated in a direction to return the plungers to their original position, while, on the other hand, the mechanism by which the spindle is rotated in a direction to cause the down or feed movement of the plungers serves to lock the spindle against rotation during the rotary movement of the nut, whereby the return or up stroke of the plungers is effected. In other words, the gearing for rotating the spindle in a direction to effect down movement serves to lock that spindle against rotation during the rotation of the nut in direction to effect up movement, and the gearing for rotating the nut in a direction to effect up movement serves to lock the nut against rotation during the rotation of the spindle in a direction to effect down movement.

Having described my invention and the best way now known to me of carrying the same into ractical effect, I state in conclusion that do not limit myself to the structural details hereinbefore set forth in illustration of the invention, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention; but

What I claim herein as new, and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In force-feed lubricators of the class defined, the combination with the cylinders, the plungers arranged to work therein, and the threaded spindle connected with and actuating the plungers, of two sets of drivinggearing, one for imparting down movement, and the other for imparting up movement to the spindle, means for actuating each set of gearing independently of the other, and means for arresting the movement of either set of gearing during the active period of the other, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In force-feed lubricators of the class defined, the combination with the cylinders, the plungers arranged to work therein and the threaded spindle connected with and actuating the plungers, of mechanism engaging and adapted to impart up and down movement to the spindle, located below the cylinders, a chamber inclosing said mechanism and the lower portion of the spindle, and an oil-container communicating with said chamber, substantially as set forth.

3. In force-feed lubricators of the class defined, the combination with the cylinders, the plungers arranged to work therein and the threaded spindle connected with and actuating the plungers, of mechanlsm enga ging and adapted to impart up and down movement to the spindle, located below the cylinders, a chamber inclosing said mechanism and the lower portion of the spindle, an oil-container communicating with said chamber, and an outflow-passage located in the chamber at a point above where said mechanism engages the spindle, substantlally as hereinbefore set forth.

4. In a force-feed lubricator of the class defined, the combination with the cylinders, the plungers arranged to work therein, and the threaded spindle connected with and actuating the plungers, of two driving-gears arranged one above the other, a nut connected to one gear and engaging the thread of the spindle, a key connected to the other gear and engaging a longitudinal groove in the spindle, means for actuating each gear independently of the other, and means for arresting the movement of either gear during the active period of the other, substantially as set forth.

5. In force-feed lubricators of the class defined, the combination with the cylinders, the plungers arranged to work therein, and the threaded spindle connected with and actuating the plungers, of two driving-gears arranged one above the other, the one for effecting the feed movement, the other for effecting the return movement, of the spindle, a nut connected to the return-gear and engaging the thread on the spindle, a key connected to the feed-gear and engaging a longitudinal groove in the spindle, means for actuating each gear independently of the other, and for arresting the movement of either gear during the active period of the other, and means operated by the spindle at a predetermined point during the feed or down movement thereof, to release the return-gear and permit it to revolve with the other, substantially as hereinbeforeset forth.

6. In force-feed lubricators of the class defined, the combination with the cylinders, the plungers arranged to work therein, and the threaded spindle connected with and actuating the plungers, of a spur-wheel, encompassing the lower end of the spindle with its hub, a nut rigidly connected to said hub and engaged with the thread of the spindle, a vertical shaft extended along the lubricator and provided with a handle, a pinion mounted on the lower portion of said shaft so as to be in gear with the spur-wheel, a ratchetwheel mounted on the upper portion of the shaft, a pawl arranged to be thrown into and out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel, a pusher connected to the plungers in a position adapted to release the ratchet-wheel when the plungers reach. the end of their downstroke, a worm-wheel arranged below said spur-wheel and encompassing with its hub the lower end of the spindle, a key proj ecting from the inner wall of the hub of the Worm-wheel, a longitudinal groove in the lower portion of the spindle in which said key is engaged, a worm for imparting motion to the worm-wheel, and a ratchet device for driving the worm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HUGO DICKER. Witnesses:

RUDOLPH FRIOKE, SOUTHARD "P. WARNER.

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